Policy and Research Officer

Location: Lichfield campus  

Interview Date: Wednesday 19 June 2024

About the role

The Policy and Research Officer is an exciting new position in the team at the UK Council for Graduate Education, reporting to the Director, and ensuring that the Council’s work is underpinned by rigorous research and policy analysis.

This will include critical contributions to flagship programmes through which the Council seeks to champion research supervision: the Next Generation Research SuperVision Project, a prestigious, multi-institutional partnership led by the university of York, funded by the Research England Development Fund; and the nationally recognised RSRP scheme.

The Policy and Research Officer will draft research and policy briefings on postgraduate education to be shared with the sector, including post-event reports on Council activities, and help to identify and shape future collaborative research proposals.

Possessing strong research skills and previous experience of research and data analysis, you should understand postgraduate education, be able to think strategically and identify ways to improve research and policy activities. Excellent communication and influencing skills are also essential for this role, as are advanced Microsoft office skills.

Person Specification

• Prior experience of research and data analysis.
• Strong research skills, including the ability to gather, analyse and synthesise complex information from multiple sources.
• Outstanding written communication skills.
• Understanding of and sympathy with postgraduate education.
• Resourcefulness and the ability to show initiative.
• Excellent time management skills / ability to manage multiple projects at once.
• Ability to think strategically and identify ways to improve research and policy activities.
• Communication, influencing and diplomatic skills (especially in managing external partnerships / volunteers).
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills.
• An enthusiastic, proactive attitude.
• An understanding of the Council’s strategy and values, with the ability to demonstrate behaviours that align to the values.
• A postgraduate qualification (desirable).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Power BI (desirable).
• Experience in advocacy or campaigning (desirable).
• Experience of grant writing and bidding for contracts (desirable).
• Knowledge of postgraduate education issues, trends and key agencies (desirable).

About the UK Council for Graduate Education

Staffordshire University is proud to host the Policy and Research Officer role to support the UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE).

The UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE) is the representative body for postgraduate education and research. We champion and enhance postgraduate education and research by enabling collective leadership on the development of postgraduate affairs across UK HEIs, research agencies and funding bodies. We do this by providing learning and professional development events, commissioning research, sharing best-practice developments, and by gathering information and evidence to support policies which promote a strong and sustainable postgraduate sector.

We are committed to promoting and enabling a positive culture where staff and visitors are confident to be their authentic selves. We focus on inclusion to ensure equality of opportunity for all our people and to demonstrate our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Human Rights.

We promote applications from all sections of the community, regardless of background, belief or identity, recognising the benefits diversity can bring to the organisation.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people, who are currently under-represented in the Higher Education workforce.

Please apply via the ‘Apply’ button above.

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